White Fox of Lightning
by kleptokalon
Summary: In an alternate universe, the same fate occurred. The death of Portgas D. Ace. In an alternate universe, eleven souls crossed dimensions and returned to bodies of the past. Another time-travel fic. DiffDevilFruit!Luffy, Strong!Strawhats, SmartER!Luffy. The Straw Hat Pirates are ready to make chaos again!
1. War of the Best

**Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece**

 _ **Chapter 1-**_

 _ **Word Count- 1400**_

 _ **War of the Best**_

Luffy knew he wasn't strong enough. He had been separated from his nakama by Kuma, one of the Shichibukai. All because of his mistakes and failure as a captain. He cursed himself for being so overconfident with his skills. Even without the use of his devil fruit, which a rare few knew about, he was strong. He had beaten most of his opponents without it. But here, in a warzone and race to save Ace… he needed his fruit.

Luffy shook. His enhanced sense, courtesy of his devil fruit, made every sound and smell so much louder. The blood, metallic and overpowering in his nose. The ringing and clanging of bullets and swords loud in his ears. He pushed it aside and listened to his close companions, Ivankov and Jinbē. They ran beside him in the middle of the warring plaza. Marines and pirates dropped dead and battered all around him. Images of gore and undiluted hatred flashed in his mind and stayed there, scarring him.

Straw Hat Luffy lead the way. As powerful enemies tried to strike him down, his allies would intercept, giving him a clear path forward. His earlier display of Haoshoku no Haki (Conquering King's) had alighted something in everyone that still stood. No doubt, Luffy's true power is his ability to turn foe into friend, and make people see themselves, truly see who they are. Just as Mihawk noticed.

The crew's belief in him drove Luffy forward. He raced to the platform, eyeing the two admirals that stood there. Kizaru was nowhere in his view. He shot through the air, propelled by Jinbē. His flight caught the attention of many. A suicide flight to two of the strongest marines.

* * *

Luffy had finally reached the platform, on which stood Akainu and Aokiji. He landed in front of them with no sound or patter of feet. The two admirals stood firmly, prepared for any move the Straw Hat boy may make.

Akainu glowered down at him. "You're not ready for this yet, son of Dragon," he stated in scrutiny. Aokiji nodded his agreement, adding his own opinion to the mix.

"You have no chance against us at your level."

Luffy growled in response. The others raised a brow at the animalistic sound but watched in silence. The pirate readied himself in a fighting stance, claws beginning to grow. His ears morphed, sprouting upwards, growing fur as black as his hair. His fangs elongated, whiskers shot out, pupils turned to slits. His body evolved, limbs rapidly changing and enlarging, his entire being becoming that of a cheetah-sized fox. He was a white fox with black spiral markings donning his sleek pelt. He almost looked like a white tiger, if not for his lithe, canine shape. His paws were black too, as for the entirety of his right legs. And then, came his tails. Five of them. They were snow white with midnight tips. From the tails came a slight, glittering crystal aura, almost invisible to the naked eye. But not to the admirals. Others too, had once again halted in their fight to watch the transformation. A creature of legend, right before them.

"The Kyuubi!" "Kitsune!" came shouts from the left. The owners of the loud screams were silenced by a shadowy force. Luffy showed no signs that he had moved, but it was from a tail that the whip came. A lightning whip. His tails flickered around, ready to shoot out at anyone that dare come near. The admirals quickly recovered from their shock.

"So, you possess a legendary Mythical Zoan. One that no one has eaten before," Aokiji commented indifferently. Luffy grinned widely, baring his fangs and shuffling his paws, crouching into a pouncing stance. He heard Ace tense and gasp. It had been over ten years since he had seen it, yet only two tails were present then. Five tails, as Luffy had now, was really pushing the boundaries of supernatural strength.

"You think I don't know that?" he growled. "But you're in my way, and I'll do anything to save my brother." Lightning crackled over his fur and whispered in his tails. He summoned the electricity to consume him and suck him to another dimension. With a pop, a world of darkness surrounded him. He leapt through it, rising higher and higher. As the lightning flashed again, Luffy appeared above the admirals, whipping two tails at them. Black sparks struck their torsos, catching them off guard and sending them flying back. Raging white fire beneath his feet, Luffy pounced upwards, landing on air and careening forward. He scrabbled for the platform, paws scraping over the metal edge and pulling him towards his brother.

Finally. He ran behind Ace, paw curling around a key. He quickly shoved it in the handcuffs, turning the lock, and watched them drop to the ground. Satisfied, Luffy turned his attention to the fleet admiral and Garp beside him. He laughed in their faces, wrapping a tail around Ace's waist. Ace, realising what was going to happen, sucked in as much oxygen as possible and closed his eyes. Luffy sprinted as fast as he could in the shadow dimension. He could only stay in for two seconds after all, even if time was slowed in the darkness itself.

When they reappeared they were in the center of the plaza, right among a group of marines. Or rather, cannon fodder. The brothers made quick work of them, orange fire and black lightning combining and swirling into enemies, ploughing them down and rendering them unconscious. Luffy ran past them. With Ace just behind, the pirates fought their way to the bay. Whitebeard's order to retreat resounded through Marineford, shocking the wounded into action. The battle was taken further away from the platform, the pirates overwhelming the dwindling numbers of the marines with renewed strength and willpower.

Whitebeard fought his all to help his sons and allies escape. But it would be his last battle, and one to go down in the history of the war. Marines flocked to take him down. They were flicked aside by new arrivals. Blackbeard. From the other side of the chasm that split the battlefield in half, there was another fight. Akainu had arrived on the scene. He sneered at the sight of a now-human Luffy and Ace. The son of the Pirate King stopped at the first taunt.

Luffy turned back to his brother and watched as he took slow steps towards the magma admiral. He tried to stop Ace but dropped to his knees. All the constant fighting at Impel Down, the poisoning and then here had drained him completely. He could only stare as Akainu beat down his brother.

A flutter drew his eyes. A small sheet of paper floated away from him. Ace's vivre card. He crawled to it, grabbing out with his skinny hands. It kept on moving, just out of his reach. It slid closer to Ace. And closer. Unaware of the fighting occurring in front, he thrust out a hand again, hoping to catch it. Just a little further…

A pop came above him, followed by a strange crackling, like fire… Ace… Luffy looked up and gasped. His brother was in front of him, arms out wide, pained face shadowed.

"A-Ace," Luffy mumbled. He coughed up blood, and that's when Luffy looked down. A large hole was through his brother's chest, and in it… a fist of magma. Sizzling whispered as Akainu retracted his arm. Others faltered in their fight, too shocked to go on.

Ace fell forward. Luffy caught him in his arms. He covered the gaping wound, feeling the blood ooze out.

"A-Ace? Why?" he stammered. His heart was hammering. Ace would not live, the wound said that.

His brother shuddered, leaning his head over Luffy's shoulder. "L-Luffy, please… tell everyone what I'm about to say." Luffy didn't reply. He looked down at his hand, coated crimson with Ace's blood.

"Old man, everyone! And you… Luffy." All around, pirates and marines stopped to listen. The war was halted. Everyone was frozen except the brothers.

"Even though I've been good for nothing my whole life.." Tears flowed freely from Luffy. "even though I have the blood of a demon within me…

"You guys still loved me!" Ace cried. He struggled to get his words out. His last words.

"Thank you!"

His crew called out in grief. Ace smiled. He slipped past Luffy, eyes closing, light disappearing from them. A thud echoed through the quiet. Luffy looked down, despair rising in his body.

And Ace passed on.


	2. 3D2Y

**Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, obviously.**

 _ **Chapter 2-**_

 _ **Word count- 1600**_

 _ **3D2Y**_

Luffy's coma was longer than it had been the first time. The great influx of memories of 17 years of life and 19 years of life collided in his brain. His body shut down for a while. The memories were sorted. The future Luffy and past Luffy fought for dominance. The past Luffy stood no chance against the might of the Fifth Emperor of the Sea.

The Heart Pirates left him in the care of Rayleigh. Jinbe had just awoken from his coma, and he too, sat by Luffy's side.

Not a day later, Luffy came up from the depths of his consciousness, and opened his eyes to the coast of Rusukaina Island. It was warm and clear, with the dangerous forest behind and sparkling sea in front. He caught on to the situation, eyes widening in disbelief. A million thoughts buzzed through him, but he shoved them aside when he felt two auras beside him.

Rayleigh chuckled as Luffy sat up abruptly. "Good to see you're finally awake, Luffy-kun," he said. _How long was I asleep for?_

"Aa." He met Jinbe's eyes and gave a slight nod, noting the same glint in them. He had traveled back too. Luffy rested back on his hands, twitching at the bandages that encased most of his body. His eyes were shadowed by his hair. Ace was dead. Again. If only he had come a day earlier.

Luffy pulled himself from his mind and focused as Rayleigh explained his suggestion to train. The Dark King described his plan to give the Straw Hats the message to train. As he spoke, Luffy gave his full attention, wanting to hear his mentor's voice.

He smiled at the end. Not his usual large grin, but a much smaller, gentle smile. "Of course."

* * *

Not a day later, newspapers were printed out with the story of Luffy's return to Marineford. The Straw Hat Pirates received the message once again. _3D2Y._

They began their two year training, pushing their limits harder than ever.

* * *

 _On Rusukaina_

Luffy and Rayleigh were left alone on the island. They now stood in the clearing with the safe tree.

"Tell me about your devil fruit," Rayleigh said.

Luffy hummed in thought. "It is a Mythical Zoan, the Nine-Tailed Fox. I can use up to five tails, and they can harness the power of lightning. I can also travel in and out of a sort of shadow dimension, though only for two seconds. I wish to increase that time, as well as the amount of tails I can summon."

"I will train you in Haki. Because you're already proficient with it, we can try to activate Advanced forms," Rayleigh explained.

Luffy remembered how evolved his Observation Haki, during his battle with Katakuri. _It takes experience. He was so much stronger than me, but I had to be better._ If it took more impressive odds, then that meant…

"Sparring?" he concluded.

Rayleigh nodded. "You will not use your Devil Fruit. These spars focus purely on Haki," he said. "Outside of them, you can train your Devil Fruit."

"Is there an Advanced Conqueror's Haki?" he asked out of curiosity, for he never came across one who possessed it.

Rayleigh narrowed his eyes and gazed intently at Luffy.

"There is indeed," he finally said. "But it is not to be taken lightly."

Luffy tilted his head. "What does it do?"

But his mentor shook his head. "Perhaps you should find that out for yourself."

He was left with many questions unanswered, and a horrible sense of foreboding. _How dangerous could it possibly be?_

* * *

He was pushed to his limits. As he grew stronger, Rayleigh grew stricter. His mentor held back less and less as the two years wore on.

Constant sparring and training left him with a myriad of pains but brimming with satisfaction anyways. It took a while to get used to not having the Gomu Gomu no Mi. Some days he would throw back his arms and forget thy wouldn't stretch.

At lunch, instead of trying to reach further than he actually could, Luffy would use his shadow dimension. It gave him the experience to further his time to five seconds and travel far faster.

Two years, and he felt more alive than ever.

His Haki strengthened, rising to meet his mentor's. There was always something new to learn in Haki. There was always some form to discover and implement into their spars. It truly was a lively time.

He felt complete.

* * *

 _The Time of Meeting_

"It's good to be back," Luffy whispered.

He flitted through the streets of Sabaody, taking in the great mangrove, and the false cheery faces. _It is what the world will become,_ he thought. These faces were just a facade against the terrorising of the new Navy under Fleet Admiral Akainu. He frowned and continued on his way, feeling the auras of his crew around the nearby groves.

Closest to him were Sanji and Zoro, by the coastline to the east. He sprinted through the shadow dimension, driving to them at an incredibly fast pace. Luffy caught the curious looks of onlookers when he came into existence and back out again.

He arrived in time to see a great gallon sliced in two. The sea heaved in massive ways, with the ship upturning and rocking. He smiled at Zoro, sitting on the sail and sheathing his katana. Sanji turned to face him with a grin and wave.

"Long time, no see!" the cook said cheerily. Luffy returned the greeting, and Zoro came beside them. The Monster Trio was united. Luffy chuckled and patted Zoro's shoulder, who was pouting like a child and trying to hide it.

"I got on the wrong ship… again," the swordsman added the last part in a whisper. Sanji began to make fun of him, and a bickering war continued, with Luffy laughing loudly beside them.

He lead the way to the next aura. Tony Tony Chopper.

They walked there, enjoying their time together, though Zoro and Sanji would never admit it out loud. The two kept chucking insults at each other and butting heads, neither gaining ground.

Luffy found Chopper smiling and munching on cotton candy. He called out to the little reindeer and Chopper looked up. He ran up to the Trio, tears flying. The reindeer jumped up, and Luffy closed him in a warm embrace. _So fluffy_ , he sighed.

The swordsman was the first to stop fighting, and greeted the new arrival. Sanji stopped after, and happily talked to the reindeer. Luffy smiled at their close bond, and gently dropped Chopper to the ground. He shut his eyes and focused on the auras of Sabaody, honing in on a pair. Usopp and Nami.

"That's a lot coming from you, Nanabun (Number Seven)," Zoro smirked.

"What was that!?" Sanji lit up, outraged. Luffy and Chopper left them behind, on their way to meet with Usopp and Nami, heading to the Thousand Sunny. Bystanders stared at them, some looking like they made a connection. It's not like the Straw Hat Pirates were ones to disguise themselves. Luffy had the first time around, and it didn't do much to stop the Pacifistas recognising him.

They crossed over to the next grove. Luffy noticed the aura of Usopp stop and face them a few streets away. Nami followed the sharpshooter's movements. Not wanting them to wait, Luffy burst into a quick run. Chopper changed points and followed close behind. The distance between them and Zoro and Sanji increased. The two turned a corner, sparing the dilapidated buildings no glance.

"Luffy! Chopper!" the two called. Nami ran up and crushed the two in a hug, suffocating them of precious air.

"Can't breathe- dying…" Luffy managed. Nami let go of them sheepishly. Usopp smiled when Chopper grabbed at the cotton candy he held in his hand. He gave it to the reindeer now dancing in joy. Shouts came behind them and the two wayward members of the crew became visible. Sanji's eyes turned to pounding hearts, and the chef wiggled up to Nami.

"Nami-swan!" he screamed. They all ignored his outburst.

The Straw Hats cleared the last leg of their journey. Up ahead was a tall hill, a rundown shack atop of it. The distant shape of the Thousand Sunny Go finally appeared. Luffy saw Robin and Franky on the deck.

He crossed into shadows and propelled himself over. "YO!" he said plainly.

"SUPER!" Franky called, tilting at an angle and hitting his metal hands together. The others showed up and they prepared to move.

Luffy shouted to Rayleigh in farewell, and thanked him once again. As they pulled out of the area and made towards the ocean, a skeleton landed on deck. Brook was finally here. Luffy took his place at the foot of the mast and looked over his almost complete crew.

"Everyone, we are ready to sail once more. I know you have spent these past two years training. I bet everyone's _really really_ strong now," their captain started. "We may be back in time, and not even in the New World, but in this adventure, we are _definitely_ gonna complete our dreams. I believe in you all!" The crew cheered and awaited his orders.

"LET'S SET SAIL! TO FISHMAN ISLAND AND OUR DREAMS!"


End file.
